Ensemble tuba

[Wyvern]

This is just for fun but would the travel tuba be a good quintet tuba?

I think it would depend on the ensemble's sound concept - according to Alan Baer it can sound cimbasso like, so might well work?

Another way I've recently been using this horn is as a cimbasso! Although the horn was not designed for this, it has a wonderful sound and fits great! My music director was very skeptical at first, but after hearing it in the section, he loves it! Plan on seeing more of the Trolley tuba in the NYP! quote: Alan Baer on Meinl-Weston website

If I should get one, will try and let you know

[GC]

Back on the original topic, Pokorny also is playing with symphony brass players who are known for strong tone and lots of volume. In his case, a 6/4 is a reasonable match for the rest of the group.

Also, 6/4 tubas are not necessarily woofy. Many or the better horns have plenty of brilliance in their tone and can cut through without dominating. They can have a wide tonal spectrum without being dominated by a tubby bottom. As long as the player can balance and blend, why not use one?

An example of Mr. Jacobs playing in quintet with a 6/4 horn would be on the Portrait of an Artist CD in the Bozza Sonatine for Brass Quintet. I don't see it credited with being one of the big Yorks, but it certainly sounds like it and definitely fits with the sound of the group.

[Rick Denney]

In my view the tuba should be its own distinctive voice and not try to blend too much with trombone which provides a good reason to use a 6/4.

Makes me wonder why quintets have two trumpets if the objective is five distinct voices.

But whether your statement is true entirely depends on the music. Some quintet music is written for a common enough brass quintet instrumentation, which is two trumpets, horn, trombone, and bass trombone. Playing music for bass trombone on a BAT is going to upset someone's intentions! There are other times when the tuba voice really does need to be distinctive.

So, if the music varies that much, and we don't want to take two instruments to a gig, we might select an instrument that can do a lot of things pretty well. I suspect that's the appeal of the small C (or large Eb, or larger F). Hence, Daellenbach's use of the Yamaha 621 (which he is using again and has been for a while), Pilafian's use of the Meinl-Weston Model 37, Fletcher's use of an Eb Besson Sovereign, and so on. A big F can do the job, if it has a good low range. A small F with an oinky low register will be fine for some tunes but not others--same as a BAT.

The rest of the quintet matters, too. Pro orchestra players can probably match a BAT a little easier than community-band amateurs.

Rick "who plays with community-band amateurs, and can bury them with a B&S F" Denney

[k001k47]

I like to pull out the FBAT for quintet stuff.

[Wyvern]

Some quintet music is written for a common enough brass quintet instrumentation, which is two trumpets, horn, trombone, and bass trombone. Playing music for bass trombone on a BAT is going to upset someone's intentions! There are other times when the tuba voice really does need to be distinctive.

Sounds like taking along travel tuba (or cimbasso) with BAT and switch according to the music might work?

who plays with community-band amateurs, and can bury them with a B&S F

Those B&S F can really produce some sound! According to my decibel meter, I can get greater volume from my PT-15 than the 6/4 Neptune - and it is a more penetrating sound too.

Jonathan "who thinks bigger tuba means broader, rather than louder"

[GC]

Do I understand that there are people who play tuba in brass quintets who give rats' @$$e$ specifically "which type of tuba" the other members of their quintets prefer for them to use...??



bloke "Get Jupiter to write our quintette a big phat check, and - as a member of The New Jupiter Brasserie Quintette - I'll climb right inside that fiberglass donut."

The other members of a group have a right to their opinions just as much as anyone else. Just like we have the right to ignore them and play what we want. Whether you care what anybody says is a function of your own personality.

Then again, nobody seems to care what type of horn a trumpet, French horn, or trombonist uses anyway. But people seem to care about the tuba.

[Wyvern]

But people seem to care about the tuba.

Is it not JUST other tuba enthusiasts* who care? When I tried out my Neptune with quintet, only the horn player even commented - I am not sure if anyone else even noticed I was playing my 6/4 instead of F. As I have said on here before, to most people "a tuba is a tuba" and so long as you can play the part well with good tone, they will not care what key, or size of tuba you use.

I suggest using whatever works for YOU and don't worry about other's opinion, unless they are paying you!

* I say 'tuba enthusiasts', rather than 'tuba players', because in my experience the majority of 'players' do not know much about the various models of tuba

[JHardisk]

My quintet prefers the 6/4 tuba.

John, Out of interest do you use the same mouthpiece as when playing with full band, or a shallower cup?

Jonathan,

I've tried messing around with different cups in quintet, and they seem to prefer the same setup as the one that I use in large ensembles. I have 3 different Shilke Helleberg II's that I go between. Oddly enough, each one is distinctively different, though they're the "same" mouthpiece. I do have one that I prefer to use in quintet, as it's got a little more "zip" to it, and less density to the low register. A lot of my choice has to do with the rep. we're performing. Quite often, we play a varied program, and I'll have to go from something like the Malcolm Arnold to being the bass in Night in Tunisia. I almost always split the difference and stick with 1 mouthpiece. I don't want to be like the trumpet players!

[Rick Denney]

I say 'tuba enthusiasts', rather than 'tuba players', because in my experience the majority of 'players' do not know much about the various models of tuba

Maybe in Merrie Old, where everyone was brought up on basically the same instrument...but probably not on this side of the pond.

Rick "who agrees that a bigger tubas is broader rather than louder, that being often the problem in quintet" Denney

[Rick Denney]

I like to pull out the FBAT for quintet stuff.

I wonder how many pictures have been made in that particular stair alcove.

Rick "who has a few, plus some made in the front dining room, never posted" Denney

[toobagrowl]

I like to pull out the FBAT for quintet stuff.

Goodness gracious!! LOL. KiltieTuba would love to toot on that super-duper "jumbo" tuba. You could almost take a bath in that bell.